Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Permanent Electrodes for Magnetohydrodynamic Power Generation

Abstract

THE principles of magnetohydrodynamic generation have been experimentally verified1, and quite large amounts of electrical power have been produced experimentally using plasmas at temperatures around 2,500° C. obtained from the products of combustion of hydrocarbons with oxygen by seeding with potassium. Brogan et al.2 have generated more than 200 kW. for 9 sec., and Way et al.3 have generated 10 kW. for many minutes; but the electrode surfaces were considerably eroded during the course of both these experiments. One of the major problems is, therefore, to find an electrode which is stable and which will emit electrons (to maintain electronic conductivity in the plasma) into a fast-moving partially ionized gas stream containing carbon monoxide, water vapour and impurities such as sulphur which normally poison low-temperature cathodes, at a pressure of about one atmosphere and a temperature in excess of 2,000° C.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Rosa, R. J., Phys. of Fluids, 4, 182 (1961).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Brogan, T. R., Kantrowitz, A. R., Rosa, R. J., and Stekly, Z. J. J., presented at the Second Symp. Engineering Aspects of MHD, Philadelphia (March 1961).

  3. Way, S., de Corso, S. M., Hundstad, R. L., Kemeny, G. A., Stewart, W., and Young, W. E., Trans. Amer. Soc. Mech. Eng., 83, A (J. Eng. for Power), 397 (1961).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Ziebland, H., J. Brit. Interplanetary Soc., 13, 129 (1954).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Mullaney, G. J., Kydd, P. H., and Dibelius, N. R., J. App. Phys., 32, 668 (1961).

    Article  CAS  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Sakuntala, M., Von Engel, A., and Fowler, R. G., Phys. Rev., 118, 1459 (1960).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Sellers, jun., J. P., A.R.S. J., 31, 662 (1961).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Pain, H. J., and Smy, P. R., J. Fluid Mech., 10, 51 (1961).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

MAYCOCK, J., NOÉ, J. & SWIFT-HOOK, D. Permanent Electrodes for Magnetohydrodynamic Power Generation. Nature 193, 467–468 (1962). https://doi.org/10.1038/193467a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/193467a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing